Transcript

00:00:01

>> A police raid on the home of the suspected Champs Elysees gunman, French national, Karim Cheurfi. Neighbors painting a picture of a former convict who lived with his mother, usually sitting glued to his computer hardly ever leaving home. Cheurfi was well-known by the authorities and had served time for armed assaults on police going back 16 years.

00:00:23

While in prison, he shot and wounded a prison officer after seizing his gun. He was arrested again this year on suspicion of preparing an attack on police. After Thursday's attack, Reuters' Julien Prétot was one of the first journalists to arrive.>> We arrived to the scene about 15, 20 minutes after the shooting and police were looking very, very nervous.

00:00:46

We spoke to a witness who said he feared for his life. He was next to the police van when the shooting happened, says he thought he was gonna die. The Champs Elysees are a very, very crowded area, especially in springtime, in the early hours of the night it's very crowded.

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But he was really targeting on the policemen.>> In the car Cheurfi drove on Thursday, police found a pump action shotgun and knives. Having driven up to a police van, he targeted it using what's thought to be a Kalashnikov rifle. By the time it was over, a policeman was dead and so was he.

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Two other people left wounded. Investigators finding a note next to the suspect's body defending Islamic State. As France prepares to vote on Sunday, far right anti-immigrant presidential candidate Marine Le Pen seizing on Thursday's attack, calling to immediately reinstate border checks and expel foreigners on watch lists. Authorities say they're now hunting for a second suspect who may still be at large.

00:01:51

An uneasy but not uncommon prospect for nation already living in a state of emergency. Since 2015 terror related attacks here have killed more than 230 people.